Senate OK on fuel excise tax bill seen

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March 15, 2026 | 12:00am

Before Congress goes on recess

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is aiming to pass the proposed measure granting President Marcos the power to suspend or reduce fuel excise taxes before this week’s congressional recess, with lawmakers hoping to skip the bicameral conference by directly adopting either the House or the Senate version to expedite the bill’s signing into law.

Speaking over dwIZ yesterday, Senate ways and means committee chair Pia Cayetano expressed confidence that the chamber will meet its deadline.

“That’s really the goal,” she said when asked if the public could be assured that the bill would be passed before the Senate goes on recess on Wednesday.

Cayetano said the Senate is waiting for the House of Representatives to formally transmit its approved version of the bill.

Once transmitted, which Cayetano expects by tomorrow, she said she would immediately sponsor the Senate’s version on the floor.

Because the President has certified the measure as urgent, lawmakers are freed from the mandatory three-day waiting period between the second and third readings.

Cayetano assured the public that the Senate is prepared for marathon plenary sessions to ensure the measure clears the chamber before they adjourn.

To further accelerate the process, the senator said she hopes both chambers can skip the bicameral conference committee entirely.

“It’s like a one-page bill so hopefully we can do away with the bicam. We can just adopt one or the other version,” she added.

Congress is scheduled to adjourn for the Lenten break on Wednesday and will resume on May 4.

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said he will push for amending the National Internal Revenue Code, in order to shorten the current three-month waiting period before suspending the excise tax on fuel.

“We cannot wait three months before suspending the imposition of an excise tax,” he told radio dzMM yesterday, stressing that he will push for the amendment during plenary debates this week.

Repeal

While acknowledging public clamor to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law entirely to stop arbitrary pump price hikes, Cayetano cautioned against rushing such a massive policy shift.

Instead, she advocated a “step-by-step” approach, prioritizing the immediate passage of the emergency tax powers first.

She noted that the Department of Energy (DOE) is currently utilizing a “whole-of-government approach” alongside the police to monitor gas stations for hoarding and unjustified price spikes.

However, the ways and means committee is also studying whether to grant the DOE stronger powers to immediately penalize abusive oil retailers.

In two weeks?

According to House public accounts panel chair and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, the public can expect relief from rising fuel prices within the next two weeks, as the suspension of excise tax collection from fuel products is being fast-tracked.

“Approval is just a matter of time. Almost finished in the House,” Ridon said during the Saturday forum in Quezon City yesterday.

“So as big as P10 per liter can be shaved off the prices of petroleum products once the excise tax is suspended. It’s a big thing and hopefully the people will benefit in this government intervention within the next two weeks,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ridon also clapped back at Vice President Sara Duterte, stressing that the House can work on legislating the suspension of excise tax on fuel and processing the impeachment complaints against her at the same time.

“It is very important to clarify the remarks of Vice President Sara Duterte. First, that instead of attending to the crisis, Congress and the government is focused on the impeachment against the Vice President. Like what I have said, it is not true,” Ridon clarified. — Jose Rodel Clapano, Marc Jayson Cayabyab